


Your eyes aren’t rivers there to weep (But a place for crows to rest their feet)

by Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Tony Stark, Deepthroating, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Bucky Barnes, Riding, Survival, Time Travel, Tony Needs a Hug, Top Bucky Barnes, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24322165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness/pseuds/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness
Summary: Bucky sat slowly, pain throbbing from his temple to the nape of his neck. "You’re an absolute idiot, you know that? Didn’t you know your AI can’t detect magical traps?”“Oh sure, ‘cause we fight many villains who like to hide portals in the floor? You’re a bigger idiot for following me, Barnes.”Bucky grimaced, gently probing his face. “I’m already regretting it.”"Back off, will you? Lecture me once we know where we are. Fri, can you tell me where we were doomed to?"-or-Tony disobeys orders during a mission and causes him and Bucky to fall through Doom’s time travel portal, forcing them to survive together in a tropical rainforest, to their utter reluctance.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 34
Kudos: 477





	Your eyes aren’t rivers there to weep (But a place for crows to rest their feet)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the Winteriron Bang 2020. I've collaborated with Mairi ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/KappaMairi)) and Trashcanakin ([Tumblr](https://trashcanakin.tumblr.com/)) for this event. <3
> 
> The title is from the song "Marbles" by _The Amazing Devil_.

Bucky’s footsteps thudded loudly in the corridor as he was sprinting through it. Robotic carcasses were littered all around, but he barely spared them a look. His heart was beating fast, but not out of exertion. 

He had a bad feeling about this whole mission from the start, and now Stark had gone inside without waiting for the others and he hadn't spoken on the comms for a few minutes, which was highly unusual for him. Steve had called for him multiple times and yet, nothing. Bucky had been the closest to the main doors, and while the others were still fighting the alligators surrounding Doom's castle, he'd followed suit and slipped inside.

"Any visual on him?" Steve inquired breathlessly, dull sounds coming through as he was throwing punches.

"Not yet, but I'm following his path." Namely the fallen doombots, making it easy to track him down. He grunted as he rammed into the wall at the other end, too fast to slow down in time. He barely missed a beat before continuing into the maze that was this castle. It was huge, in the middle of Upstate New York, and guarded by alligators. Bucky had stopped trying to find logic in the patterns of the villains they were fighting, instead focusing on taking them down. Was it even legal to own alligators as pets in the state of New York?

He was starting to get lost with the sudden lack of bodies when he heard the typical sounds accompanying Iron Man fighting, small rockets popping and energy blasting from his repulsors. Gunpowder and ozone smells lingered in the air. He dove for the room where he was hearing the noise coming from. He arrived just as Stark was setting down, his metallic boots clanking loudly on the metal flooring.

"Stark, hold up," Bucky warned him, stopping himself with his metal hand leaving an indent in one of the consoles near the opened door. Now that he was looking around, this seemed to be a laboratory of some sort, odd devices sitting all over and random body parts of various species floating in formaldehyde filled tanks. What was Doom even doing with those?

"Barnes. Didn't know I needed a babysitter." Stark was venturing around further in the room, observing Doom's creations and probably giving notes to his AI. His faceplate was up, so either there was a signal blocker here or he'd purposely closed his comms. 

"Well maybe if you didn't go ahead on your own without waiting for the order, you wouldn't. Now stop moving, Doom loves booby traps, and he knows you can’t resist gadgets." He propped himself on an undamaged console, taking one of his daggers to distract himself with. "Steve, I have Stark. What’s your position?"

Stark scoffed. "Why would I listen to you? And why are you even here? I'm good on my own."

"Now is not the time for one of your tantrums." It had been less than a minute and Bucky could already feel a headache coming. Stark finally looked at him, a hard set to his mouth.

"I've already scanned and deactivated everything, but thanks for the concern."

Bucky shook his head, pressing his lips together not to reply to him. It'd be useless, with the way the other was currently acting. Worse than a child sometimes.

"Does anyone copy? If you are, just follow the destroyed doombots. I'll babysit Stark until then."

There was static, then Natasha’s voice came through. “We hear you, but we still can’t enter. Those alligators are heavily enhanced. At least they don’t have lasers.”

“You like the Austin Powers movies way too much,” he replied with a smile. It quickly disappeared with the way Tony suddenly stomped to him.

"For fuck's sake." He stopped a hair's breadth from his face, murderous. "I know what I'm doing. I don't need you monitoring my every step, despite the low esteem you have of me."

Bucky didn’t back away, instead meeting his glare with a frown of his own. "It isn't about my personal feelings. You've been acting recklessly lately and even you're aware of it. Why else would you leave and not help your teammates? I mean, deactivating your comms, that’s pretty low."

Stark's nostrils flared, but instead of the punch Bucky was expected thrown his way, he took a step back. “I didn’t, I mean, maybe I asked FRI to pause your chatter to focus, but Doom has been working with other villains lately, and I want to know why. It could be—"

He took another step back and a click echoed in the room. There was a second where they stared at each other, shocked, before the floor opened up under Stark and he started being pulled into a portal. Bucky didn't think and grabbed his arm to stop him, but the suction of the magical door was too strong and Bucky fell forward too, his dagger propulsed away. He managed to catch himself on the edge of the stone floor by jamming his fist in it, screaming at the pain in his shoulder where it joined the metal arm. He knew very well it was a short matter before he would lose his grip.

"I warned you about the booby traps!" He yelled at Stark. If he could grab him with his legs and give him some leverage, there was a chance Stark could climb over him and get out of there. The repulsors weren't powerful enough to fight against the pull of the vortex.

"Let me go, I'll be fine,” Stark yelled back, the idiot.

"Slide down your faceplate." Bucky pulled, gritting his teeth at the intensifying pain. How long before his arm ripped away? He wrapped his legs around his torso but had to let go when his hand started slipping on the floor. At least Stark's helmet was up, protecting him. He tried to break free from his hold, but he couldn’t unless he used an energy blast. 

"Barnes. It's not worth it." 

Bucky closed his eyes briefly, the bright tornado-like vacuum trying its best to engulf them making him dizzy. "Fuck," he muttered and let go of the floor.

Time became weird, and although he thought it took a long time, they probably made it on the other side of the portal instantly, and then they were falling from the sky. Only Stark pulling him close while he activated his repulsors prevented them both from a certain death. They tumbled down trees, Bucky's head slamming in a few of them, to finally land in the middle of shrubs. At least it cushioned their fall.

Dizziness overwhelmed Bucky for a moment, so violent he felt nauseous as well. He laid in the crushed leaves and branches, unmoving and taking deep breaths. Beside him, Stark's groan came out distorted through his suit's speakers. He completely retracted his helmet into his neck piece, his breathing loud but not wet-sounding, which eliminated the possibility of serious rib damage. Bucky started taking an inventory of his own body, if he had anything potentially fractured or broken other than having a concussion.

There was a problem with his metal arm. He could feel blood soaking his shirt.

He slowly opened his eyes to the dense foliage above them, their fall not enough to damage it. He tested his fingers and they worked correctly, so he hadn't ripped any nerve or main components. Probably pulled open his skin at the seam of the arm, but the pain was manageable. He shifted and yeah, his ribs were bruised and his whole left side was sensitive. The downside of using a suit of alloy as a pillow.

"You okay?" Stark asked him. He straightened up, observing their surroundings and looking everywhere but at Bucky. 

"I'll be fine." Bucky sat slowly, pain throbbing from his temple to the nape of his neck specifically. "You’re an absolute idiot, you know that? Didn’t you know your AI can’t detect magical traps?”

“Oh sure, ‘cause we fight many villains who like to hide portals in the floor? You’re a bigger idiot for following me, Barnes.”

Bucky grimaced, gently probing his face. “I’m already regretting it.”

"Back off, will you? Lecture me once we know where we are. Fri, can you tell me where we were doomed to?"

While Stark was speaking with his AI, Bucky tried to contact the team, to no avail, and that was because he’d lost his communicator, he realised soon enough. He wiped his forehead with his flesh hand, starting to seriously sweat in his uniform. It wasn't made for hot weather.

He brushed his hair away from his face, wincing when the tip of his fingers caught on his blossoming bruise. He shrugged the pain away and got to his feet before the bugs crawling over him decided to make a lunch out of him. Now that his ears weren't ringing anymore, he could hear the forest around them buzzing with life. He stepped out of the bushes and rested his back against a tall tree with its trunk curving sideways.

"Great. That's just great. You're telling me we're in the middle of nowhere?" Stark was pacing further on the side, talking to his AI.

"That's exact. I didn’t detect any man-made constructions visible to the surface. I could make a better analysis, but it'd take hours and, honestly boss, the suit is too low on power for that."

"Mphm, fine. Tell me about our immediate surroundings then."

"Right on, boss. The current temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, humidity percentage is 64. Based on the biota of this region, this is a tropical rainforest."

“Well, now we know where Doom spends his vacation days.”

"At least we got a lot of food available," Bucky said. He planted a dagger in a trunk and used it as a makeshift hanger, putting his jacket on it once he managed to shrug it off. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt underneath, and he pulled on the collar to examine the damage. The skin had split along the seam at a few places, as he predicted, but it was already healing, the drying blood making it look worse than it was.

His ribs were a different matter. They still would take a few days to completely heal, and right now he couldn't properly breathe without feeling pain. That and one half his face throbbing.

"I think it's best to deactivate the suit for now, to conserve power," Stark was saying, already working on something. James saw he was sharpening a rock on a bigger one, using the strength of the suit to work faster. He didn't comment that he still had a good amount of knives on himself, despite the one he dropped in Doom's castle. He hoped one of the team would find him, if they hadn't heard his message. He doubted Stark would want to use his weapons anyway, too arrogant for that.

"Alright. See ya boss, and good luck."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Good luck to survive in a rainforest or good luck having to stand me?"

Stark's suit collapsed to allow him out, then it closed again. Its light dimmed, turned off. "Both," He shot him a glance, then did a double take. "Fuck, what happened to your face? It didn’t look like that a second ago." Bucky arched an eyebrow, taken aback by Stark's sudden worry. The other seemed to realise it as well, sobering up. "What do I care anyway?"

"Considering we only have each other to survive right now, as much as you don't like me, we'll have to tolerate each other."

Stark opened his mouth to protest, scoffed instead. "Your face is already black and blue anyway. Let's just explore around."

There was the problem of bringing Stark's suit with them. Bucky didn't say anything because he knew Stark wouldn't let him touch it anyway. Instead he watched him take the harness attached in the suit and start dragging it on the ground littered with plants, rocks and vines. It looked painful. Whatever.

Bucky grabbed his jacket and knife and followed him. It seemed to be the dry season right now, fortunately for them, otherwise they'd have nonstop rain. There were so many different flowers of all combinations of colours, and a seemingly endless amount of fruits. Bucky had some notions on this environment, and he could recognise some species, but certainly not all of them. Life was buzzing everywhere he looked.

The worst wasn't the heat. 28° Celsius was about the average temperature of New York during summer, that part was tolerable. No, the worst was the humidity. Bucky doubted any inch of his skin was dry after an hour of walking. His shirt was stuck to his back, the dried blood not helping. At least his pants offered some sort of insulation, but his knees were sweating at that point. Tony was sporting some band t-shirt with beaten up soaked just as much with sweat and greasy jeans his ass was moulded into. He was still pulling his suit behind him, but it was evident by his slowing pace he was exhausted. Bucky feared he would continue out of spite. If there was one thing Bucky was used to deal with, it was stubbornness. He had grown up with Steve after all.

"Stop," he told the retreating back when he picked up on a sound. Stark did stop, chest heaving from exertion when he turned around. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the bottom of his shirt, exposing the tightness of his stomach, and Bucky quickly averted his eyes. Instead he focused on the sound he first heard.

"There's moving water over there," he concluded, walking in that direction without waiting for him. He heard him curse and smirked to himself, which pulled on his healing bruise. It didn't help how uncomfortable he was starting to feel, his skin covered in a disgusting sticky layer of sweat, let alone the pain jolting in his ribs whenever he crouched or made a too-fast movement.

He got distracted by a bright yellow coconut on the ground. He picked it up, checked if anyone else had started chewing on it, but the shell was unbroken. He turned his jacket in a sort of makeshift bag and put the coconut in it, saving it for when they reached the stream. He also spotted small red fruits in shrubs, very similar to cherries. He plucked one and ate it, spitting out the seed. It was sour enough to make the back of his mouth tingle. He ate a few more while waiting for Tony and threw one at him once he was close enough. Tony caught it but didn't seem appealed by it.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

"Thirsty then?"

"Nah, I'm good. What I need is a break, so let's find that stream."

Bucky kept an eye on him as they continued, this time side by side. His steps were sure on the uneven ground, but he wasn't enhanced and they'd been propelled in a completely different climate. Heat stroke wasn't too ridiculous of a possibility. It was a relief to finally sight the stream, tucked in the middle of high shrubs. The water flowed beautifully through large, tall rocks, and despite the questionable water safety, Bucky crouched on the bank and cupped some in his hands to splash it on his face and neck. Fuck, it was the best thing he'd ever felt. He didn't drink it, just in case, and instead removed his shirt to start washing away the crusted blood on his shoulder and down his chest, the cool water sliding down his back and torso.

Stark carefully put down his suit and did the same, pressing water against the nape of his neck with a sigh. He watched Bucky open up the coconut in silence and pierce the shell with a knife, his shoulders slumped.

"Here, drink," Bucky offered it to him, which he took after some hesitation. There was something on his mind, and it wasn't just about their current predicament. Still, he would talk when he was ready. Once they both drank the coconut water, Bucky cracked the fruit opened with his bare hands, discarding the shell parts in favour of keeping the flesh.

"Take some," he said, not bothered by the irritated look he received. The irritation wasn't entirely on him as Stark had been fidgeting with his smartwatch that didn't seem to be of any help.

"You don't need to feed me," he mumbled, yet took a few pieces and popped them in his mouth. His expression changed as flavours hit his tongue. "Fuck, this is good."

Bucky, who was already almost done with his portion, could only agree. "Rainforests usually offer a lot of wild fruits and vegetables, and from the looks of it, this one hasn’t been inhabited by humans in a long time."

"You think we're alone here?"

He shrugged. "Yes. In this area, at least. Your AI couldn't find anything either, but technology can give off different signals or something, right?"

"It's a possibility. I certainly didn't configure her with the possibility of reading futuristic technology, that's for certain."

"Mm. Let's keep that in mind. You still have that gauntlet working in your watch?"

They both remembered how Bucky came to discover that function and carefully didn't mention it. Stark nodded stiffly, then chuckled.

"Good thing it's solar powered."

They decided to venture further and follow where the stream was going, it was bound to lead to a bigger water source. The tension between them was more bearable for the moment. It felt more like a momentary truce until they figured out where they were or found help, but it was something. At some point Bucky grew tired of seeing Stark struggle with his suit.

"Let me help you with that," he offered. "There's no need to exhaust yourself when we might need your expertise later on."

Stark squinted at him, clearly seeing his motive. He begrudgingly conceded and lent him the strap. Bucky knew what that was entitling, but he had no intention to hurl the suit into the trees. That would be quite childish of him… but oh so satisfactory. Instead of acting on that impulse, he started pulling the suit behind him, surprised that Stark had managed to do so for so long. No way was he mentioning that to him though.

Stark stretched his arms as they walked, rolling his shoulders to relax them. He would look up from time to time, to try and see the sky, but the canopy was dense with trees. Bucky spotted a few monkeys peeking down at them a few times and heard what could be either a tiger or cougar, but he wasn’t nervous about them. Spiders and snakes were more likely to kill them.

It felt like hours had passed since their last break, the humidity making their movements spend much more energy than usual, or at least it felt so for Bucky who was starting to feel sluggish and in dire need of a bath, even for his metabolism. Stark hadn't complained yet, and he wondered whether it was because of his pride or the knowledge he was stuck with his parents' murderer.

He realised his glances weren’t as subtle as he'd hoped so when Stark met his eyes with a stormy expression. "Stop watching over me. I'm not about to fall to the ground unconscious. I know my limits."

"Mm. From your tendencies to ignore your own well-being, I can't help but presume otherwise."

"What is it to you anyway? Are you the Winter Babysitter now and I wasn't aware?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. " _ты чертовски раздражает_."

"Hey, Romanoff used that one on me before, and I'm pretty sure you're the annoying one between the two of us."

Bucky didn't deem him with a reply. This was leading to nowhere but more vitriol, he was too tired to think properly and Stark, too short-tempered to hold a civil conversation. His ma always said silence was better than ill words.

It was about an hour later that they came across where the stream tumbled down in rapids into a sizeable lake. They had to go around to find a safer route, and once down there the trees cleared out and they were hit with the full heat of the sun.

"If I get this right, and I do, it's about 3pm right now."

"Dark comes early during the dry season, we should prepare for the night."

Stark was reticent to leave his suit on the ground so Bucky sat it on a bulky rock that wasn't littered with bugs as much as the ground. Now that he thought of it, it was a bad idea to make their shelter directly on the ground. While Stark was doing something closer to the water, Bucky adventured back through the forest in search of a good spot. He found an area big enough with only a few sparse bamboo trees standing in it. He took out his LMF II Gerber knife, the thickest one he was carrying, and started cleaning the area, planning on using the bamboo trees he was yanking out with his bare hands. He also plucked out the bamboo shoots that were edible. He saw Stark walk by him but he seemed focused on something, so he didn't disturb him.

Instead he took the way they came in to gather some vine he spotted earlier. He knew he could also use tree roots as rope but those vines were an easier solution. They were supple and thin enough he wouldn't have to slice them in half and soften them in water. Once that done, he returned with his load and started putting down the main beams to support the frame, using his sheer strength to push them into the ground. It took him awhile to figure out the best way to tie the first horizontal bamboo, but once he did things went faster. He’d managed to put about half of the floor down over the frame by spreading open the bamboo to its full capacity when Stark appeared, looking impressed.

"You did good," he simply said, eyeing Bucky who was sweating buckets despite being hidden from the sun under the trees, his clothes drenched as well. He longed to dive into the lake but wanted to finish this first.

"Thanks. Wouldn't want to end up with flesh eating beetles all over me during my sleep."

"Is that… a Mummy reference?"

Bucky massaged his stiff knuckles, smirking. " _What is a place like me doing in a girl like this?_ "

Stark paused, hesitating between a ghost of a smile and a frown before smacking his lips together to hide his reaction. "I wish Steve would follow your example of watching classics from the second half of the 20th century and not the first half."

"I'm trying. There's only so many times I can watch _Gone with the Wind_."

Stark turned to look at the shelter, but Bucky saw the ghost of a smile on his lips before he tried to mask it. "So… this is going to hold up for the both of us?"

"There's only one way to find out."

The frame swayed a bit at first but held on when they awkwardly laid on it. It was big enough for the two of them with little space in between.

"I want to make a roof as while, in an A shape so the rain doesn't gather on top."

"I could… I can help you with that."

Bucky turned to him. "Thank you."

Stark jumped down from the shelter, eager to step away from their emotional baggage, as usual. "I'll just check on the water filter first."

Bucky followed him, surprised to see a fire glowing steady near an intricate invention of Stark. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a basket made of tree bark and filled with murky water that Stark had installed over two rocks. The water dripping into the halve of a coconut shell was almost crystal clear.

"How did you come up with that so fast?" He asked, impressed.

"I went to a few summer camps, so my dad would see me as less as possible. I learnt a few things there," and by the twinkle in his eye, he didn't only mean only inventions, "like making fire from sticks and a water filter. We'll still have to boil it before it's fully potable."

"Speaking of which…" Bucky retrieved some of the quite sizeable bamboo shoots. "Look what I found. We also need to boil the flesh of these, so two birds with one stone?"

"Now we just need a container."

"Well, I have some bamboo leftovers that shouldn't burn too fast."

Not the best makeshift pot, but it had to do. Bucky sliced opened a shoot and discovered that they probably wouldn't need to open another one, it was huge.

"While you're doing that, I'll try to find some food diversity to add to our meal."

"Take this, just in case." Bucky unfastened a sheath at his belt and gave it to him. It contained a longer knife than his Gerber and had more range. Stark stared at it before taking it, shoving it in his front pocket in lieu of having a belt.

"Thanks."

Using a slab as a cutting board, Bucky cut the dense flesh in small slices and slid them into the hollow bamboo with the filtered water. He managed to fill two sticks that way that he installed over the fire. Once that done, he started working on the roof of their shelter. He cut the bamboos, gathered a mix of big leaves and almost stepped on a large snake that was making its way up a trunk. Luckily he managed to avoid it, and although smaller snake's venom was more potent, a large snake bite wasn't something he wanted to deal with, ever.

Stark returned with his shirt filled with a variety of fruits and nuts. "I don't know what's edible and what isn't, but needless to say that's there a lot to choose from." They used Bucky's discarded jacket as a basket and hung it to a tree so the food would be protected from bugs while they made the roof. 

They surprisingly worked well together. Stark quickly figured out what Bucky wanted to do and took to put down the leaves for Bucky to tie to the sticks, both being careful as they stood on the base. Overall, it looked decent, if a shelter made of bamboo in the middle of the rainforest could be described as decent.

They ate the bamboo shoots and fruits and let the water cool down before drinking it. Turned out that none of the berries was poisonous, Bucky made sure by trying everything first when Stark had his back turned. Afterwards, he fed the fire and stayed with Stark to witness the night fall. The rich warm colours over the water surface echoed the sky, and with the trees and the birds flying away, it was a beautiful sight.

Stark has taken to sharpen a stone on a bigger one after eating, and although he hadn't explained himself - remaining astonishingly silent for once -, Bucky suspected it was for an axe or hatchet of some sort. Might be not to solely depend on Bucky's weapons, but it would be useful for the both of them. The next thing they would need was bigger containers for water and food… and something to keep away the bugs, he added to his mental list as he slapped his neck to kill another mosquito. Could they mutate from his blood, or die from it? What if he caused mosquito extinction simply by being here? Uh… he needed to go to sleep. He remembered something about mixing clay and water to form a paste, but that would be for the next day.

It became a lot more humid once the sun was gone. Bucky discarded his heavy boots and shirt to lay on the bed in only his combat pants, pushing back his hair soaked in sweat. A dip in the lake would've been a good idea, but they didn't know what lurked in it and he'd rather not get gnawed on more than he already was.

He fell asleep relatively fast, only half waking up when Tony slid beside him and grumbled something about him taking all the place, so he turned on his side and promptly returned to sleep. He woke up sticky and with Stark plastered to his back, his breath brushing over the damp skin of his neck. He rubbed his eyes and slowly freed himself from his hold, silently landing on the ground. He made sure he hadn't woken him before dashing for the lake, flustered. He hung his pants and underwear on a low branch, uncaring at the moment if Stark caught him naked. Ah, stark naked.

The water was wonderfully cold against his heated skin. He shivered and dipped down all but his head was submerged. He waded around, taking to swimming like he'd never stopped. He dove down and swam to the bottom, keeping his eyes for any treats or useful finds. Fishes scurried around him, curious and frightened, while a sea snake slid through the sand a little away from Bucky who had a bit of a fright at its sight. It seemed more interested on the molluscs scattered on the sandy bottom. luckily.

He followed some fishes darting in the direction opposite of their shelter, their silver and golden scales beautifully reflecting the sun even through the murky green colour of the water.

A long slimmer fish dashed by Bucky's face and gulped down one of the smaller fishes, quick and efficient. The other ones hurried away, further into the darkness. Well, it seemed to get rather darker even though Bucky remained near the surface. He swam into an underwater cave. The sun pierced through openings on the high ceiling, allowing him to dodge the imposing stalactites. A white deposit coated the uneven walls. He didn't know what it could be but he was sure Stark would. He noticed algae stretched from the bottom all the way to the top, and that actually the water surface dipped lower as he swam further, meaning the cave wasn't completely submerged. He took a deep breath once he broke surface, needed a few seconds to get his bearings. He was surprised to discover he emerged in a dry cave. It wasn't large but free of predators at first glance, and the floor was sturdy under his feet as he walked its perimeter.

Well, it was enough exploring for the moment. He was both thirsty and hungry, but he definitely would keep this place in mind if he ever wanted to keep away from Stark for a while. The way back was faster and he felt the damp hot air wrap around him as he climbed out. He noticed the sediment on the edge of the lake was a deeper warm colour than the dirt. Clay. He could use it to create pottery, or at least try to.

"Oh." Stark was installed in front of the dead fire, using a sort of bow to work two sticks together. He'd completely stopped at his sight but quickly resumed and tried to hide the fact he ogled at him. "Didn’t you where down there. Can you breathe underwater, by any chance?"

"I found an underwater cave," Bucky said, grabbing his underwear and putting it on, wincing at the uncomfortable stretch of the fabric.

"I was wondering why your clothes were here but not you, I thought you'd taken a chance at becoming Tarzan."

"Not there yet. I need to practice my vine swinging skills first." Bucky gave him a glance and yup, Stark was definitively staring at his ass.

He huffed a laughter that came out like a wheeze with the exertion of trying to start a spark of fire. "Underwater cave, you say? Anything interested there?"

"There's white stuff on the walls. Like white crystals?"

"Mm, probably calcite. It's pretty common in caves."

"Is there anything we can do with that?"

"Marble, mostly. I could carve a statue of myself if I get bored, I suppose. Honestly I'm just hungry right now."

"Why are you making a fire then?"

"Practice," Stark answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. Bucky observed his demeanor. He had rolled the sleeves of his t-shirt and sweat was cascading down his arms that were deliciously defined, his hair curling at the nape of his neck. Not a bad sight. Stark was trying not to look at him, his body closed off and guarded.

"You were worried for me," he stated. He slowly approached to crouch down beside him. "I just wanted a dip, the water's actually amazing and almost non-threatening. You should go too, but don't swim too far down just in case, there’s a sea snake."

Stark finally met his gaze, his brown eyes so expressive and ruining that cold façade he kept putting on. He hesitated, a rare thing for him, and finally set down the fire starter. "Later. Let's go get some food first."

Bucky grabbed his jacket to use again as a basket, but they didn’t need it. They kept eating the fruits on the spot, too hungry to wait.

"What's our plan?" Bucky asked later, satiated for now. The potable water was warm but not the worst thing Bucky had ever drunk.

Stark sighed and stopped fiddling with the small tools he'd got from somewhere, probably his suit. He had been inspecting it since they'd come back to camp. "Survive until the Avengers rescue us?"

"Why are you saying it like you aren't part of the team?"

"Can we not talk about this right now? I have a major headache from not having any coffee in 18 hours, I'm suffering."

"Well excuse me for not reading your mind, I've been trying to stop." Bucky dug into the soft dirt close to the lake until he hit clay. He started gathering a decent amount, mixing it with water so it softened and he could manipulate it to form a few balls, easier to transport.

"Stop being so sassy. I'll start liking you," Stark said, but there was no bark to his words. He watched him set the clay down on the slab he used the previous day. It would need to dry for a while before he could shape it, if he remembered correctly. Right now it would probably crumble down if he tried to mould anything with it. "I could make a radio from the suit with a bit of tweaking, but that requires power and I'm not sure breaking apart my suit and spending its energy is worth it."

"Understandably. I’m sure you’ll think of something." His pants were completely ruined, torn at a few places already and very dirty. The hem kept catching on plants and it was frustrating him more than it should. "Could you start a fire, the clay will dry faster that way." He sat with his legs stretched before him and started cutting his pants without a moment of regret. He cut it at mid-thigh and rolled the hem, already feeling better.

Stark's curiosity won over whatever negative feelings he harboured toward Bucky, and he took the bow drill and started working on making a fire. "Why are you so much better at this? Were you a scout or something?"

Bucky chuckled, sliding back the knife at the small of his back. "Or something."

"From the face you're making, I touched a sensitive subject."

Bucky wiped the sweat from his forehead, which only spread all over his already sweaty forearm instead. "I still don't remember all the details, but in the 70s, I was left for dead in a forest. I lived in it for a month or so before Hydra found me and punished me for attempting to escape."

"The fuckers."

"Being in the army also forces you to make do, especially in the middle of the European wilderness."

"I bet." Stark poked the mud. "So you're making pottery."

"Trying, at least. That way we can gather more water and fruits. I remember seeing the kids in Wakanda craft objects with vines, I might try to, uh, braid a basket? We'll see how this clay business goes."

Stark hummed and focused on the fire for a moment. Bucky was never really good at it, so he helped by gathering dry sticks instead. It looked so much simpler when Stark did it, he'd already managed a spark when he came back, softly blowing on the tinder nest. Once the fire was going, Stark rose to his feet. "Alright." He started undressing, hanging his clothing on the same branch Bucky had, and stepped in the lake in a very immodest way. Bucky had a glimpse of a scar over a shoulder before he dove into the water. He didn't go far and was getting out by the time Bucky was starting to shape his first bowl. It wasn't as bad looking as he dreaded, or maybe it was thanks to how he focused on it and not on the curve of Stark's ass as he walked by him to dress up.

Before he disappeared through the thick foliage, Bucky sighed through his nose and called him out. "Stark. I'm sorry for jarring you into explaining yourself when you don't owe me anything. It's—… I'll stop."

There was a lingering silence between them where they stared at each other, emotions playing too fast over Stark's face to decipher. "Call me Tony, for starter."

"Then call me Bucky."

Tony almost added something, but closed his mouth with a click and turned around to disappear beyond the line of the dense shrubs.

  
  


Tony made a system to hang the water canisters in the lake to keep cool with a stick and vines, also coming back with root vegetables he found by accident while he was looking for vines. They identified some as sweet potatoes, and the others resembled turnips but Tony was sure they weren't. Bucky had two bowls and a cooking pot drying by the fire, and once they were, he put them in the embers to cure.

"Do you think we could use mud the same way than clay?" Tony asked him, fiddling with one of the cured bowls.

"Probably."

They could. Tony made a new holder to make an improved water filter system, then he exclaimed, "I could make a longer slab. We could sun dry fruits on it, or, oh! A table."

They had to make the frame first before moulding the mud but it worked. It still surprised him how well they worked together, even more so once they unofficially established a truce, and Bucky sat down on a log later to eat with a lighter spirit. They were still stuck in the middle of nowhere together, with a chance of their team actually rescuing them slimming every day, but at least his companion wasn't trying to murder him with his eyes anymore, so that an improvement. Little things, and all that.

"So what's your favourite colour?" Tony asked him out of nowhere while they were eating the potatoes. They was much better than Bucky remembered them to be, especially without any seasoning. A lack of pesticide, maybe, or human interaction. Bucky almost choked on his mouthful at the question.

"Is this something that we're doing now?"

"What better way to get to know each other?"

Oh, Bucky could think of a few things, his eyes sliding from the natural curve of Tony's red mouth down to his collarbones exposed by the loose collar of his shirt. Instead he shrugged. "Red, I guess."

Tony hummed. "Such is mine, surprisingly enough. Red and gold."

" _Very_ surprising." They continued to lightly talk, nothing too serious as they got to know each other. It was their longest conversation so far that wasn't them trying to rile the other up. It was the first time Bucky was seeing Tony with his guard down. There hadn't been a moment before where Tony hadn't considered him a threat, even when he'd been under constant supervision at the Avengers compound. He had no doubt FRIDAY had also been spying his every movement, and Steve had been angry about Tony's suspicious nature, but not Bucky. 

In fact, he'd been relieved that someone saw him for the danger he could potentially still be. That also caused him to pay more attention to the billionaire, how distant he was making himself from the team. Bucky's first theory had been because he had been introduced into the team without his approval, and perhaps there had been a bit of that, but then he realised how tense his interactions with most of the members were and he removed himself of the equation. 

This wasn't about him. 

Nobody had bothered with a proper apology to Tony and instead chose to ignore and push away the issue rather than tackle it and settle it at once. At least that was Bucky's theory. He certainly wasn't an expert on interpersonal relations, but having a therapist and not being part of the problem allowed him a better perspective and, well, some of those issues were a reflection of his own.

He also suspected Tony felt guilty for bringing Bucky down with him, despite Bucky being free of his mind and choices. He’d been the one following him, not the other way around. He hadn’t thought twice about it.

"Do you want to go explore a bit, tomorrow? I know FRIDAY didn't find anything, but there might be a chance there's a foreign technology at play rigging her."

"Sure," Tony agreed without arguing, proof of him trying to make it work between them. Bucky gave him a small smile. 

Sleep didn't come as easily that night, despite the hard work of the day. Thoughts wouldn’t let go of Bucky and he kept thinking what they would do if the team didn't manage to capture Doom or gather enough information to find out where they were. It wouldn't be against the villain to manipulate them into thinking they didn't trigger the portal to begin with. 

Their sleeping situation wasn't ideal either. Bucky couldn't think of anything worse than being unable to move much on a rigid bed and suffer through humidity and mosquitoes. He felt disgusting and was considering slapping on some mud to protect himself at this point. Tony didn't seem as bothered by all of this, once commenting the weather reminded him of Malibu. He also didn't have any sunburn so far, on the opposite of Bucky who was glad for his super healing. Instead he was already tanning to a lovely hue while Bucky was turning into the Austria flag.

He blew on a stray strand of hair hanging over his eyes, wondering if it was worth trying to have some sleep after hours of laying there awake. The only comforting thing right now was the steady heartbeats and deep breathing of Tony at his back. He knew Tony regularly had insomnia and could’ve been found in his workshop at all hours of the day and night, something about being more productive anyway. As long as he was in shape to be part of the missions, Steve had said, which had been an inconsiderate comment and earned him a lecture about being aware of others' needs. Bucky didn't know Steve could be that way. Beside, he never encountered anyone with narcolepsy who purposely wanted to remain awake, and as eccentric as Tony was reputed to be, he doubted it was to that extend.

Why else would he be sleeping right now otherwise? Constant humid heat was very tiring along with their active day. Tony was still human and needed sleep to recuperate, but Bucky had been trained to survive and work in harsh environments over long periods of time, watching for threats or his target. There was also the constant worry of being jumped on or bitten by a wild animal, but deeper than that, he felt overwhelmed. He just... didn't want to fuck up. 

He woke up at the splash of water echoing nearby. For a few seconds, he couldn’t remember where he was until he looked around and things started coming back. He felt clammy and his throat was parched. Tony had some water boiling on the fire, his clothes piled on the table, and without much thought, Bucky followed his example and ventured to the lake. Tony was basking on his back, deep in thought, but jolted when Bucky arrived. 

"I wasn't sure when you'd wake up," he said as a greeting. Bucky grunted and dove into the water, trying in vain to wash his hair. Plain water wouldn't do it, but it was better than nothing. He felt better and more awake when he surfaced beside Tony, just realising how close they were.

"I didn't sleep very well."

"I noticed when I dropped a coconut and you didn't even stir."

Bucky could see the scars running over Tony's chest, the lighter patch of skin where the arc reactor used to be. That was a few years ago, but he wondered if they sometimes hurt like his did; phantom pain deeper than skin.

He washed his shirt as well and hung it to dry, deciding to go shirtless for the day. He grabbed his chest holster from the jacket and put it on. Keeping a gun on himself seemed excessive but he'd rather not take any risk.

His wet hair got stuck in one of the straps and made him groan in discomfort. It was full of knots and his metal hand wasn't delicate enough to remove them without yanking the hair from his scalp. He was seriously considering just cutting it when Tony came closer.

"I can help. Turn around for me?" He had a long strip of fabric from Bucky's uniform in his hand and, thinking he couldn't do worse, Bucky turned around and sat down on a log. He felt his deft fingers against his scalp, gentle, and in a moment Tony had gotten him free and gathered his hair in a high bun. "There, it shouldn't get in your way. I was thinking, anything oily should wash our hair, so we should look for something today. Maybe aloe?"

[ ](https://trashcanakin.tumblr.com/)

"Hmm. Thanks." They started walking in the opposite direction that they'd come from, following the lake and going beyond. There was no sign that an underwater cave stood underneath them, it was impressive how nature worked. They walked in a comfortable silence for a while, using the sun when they could see it as a guide. "Aloe is a good idea," Bucky said after a while, "or we could try making coconut oil. I don't have a clue how to do that though."

"By logic if we cook it and make the water evaporate, only oil will remain. We'd need to turn the flesh into a pulp probably and strain it afterwards. When you think about it, a lot of food is created by evaporating water from an element. That reminds me when Anna would make jam, it smelled so good. Fuck, now I want toast and jam."

"Who's Anna?"

"My nanny. Her and Jarvis basically raised me."

"Why, where were your parents?" He regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Before you killed them, you mean?" Tony gave him a side glance. Ouch. Bucky had walked right into that one.

"I didn't mean—"

"Don't. Let's just… not." He stopped talking, and just as Bucky thought he'd ruined everything, he continued. "To answer your question, I barely saw my parents as a child. Howard was too busy taking care of his company to take care of me, and my mother was being his public image and organising fundraisings and attending events, making up excuses for him while his free time was spent on his quest to find the Valkyrie and, more importantly, our good Cap. Whether he actually cared for him or only wanted to retrieve the super serum from his blood, I'll never know."

Bucky pushed away a low hanging branch that narrowly missed Tony's face. He was too deep in his memories and Bucky regretted asking. 

"Now I understand your first interaction." He'd read the numerous reports about the Chitauri attack.

"Not under the best circumstances. We talked and apologised about it ever since, but it feels like— Nevermind."

Bucky wanted to pry him about what he was about to say, but he didn't want to lose the progress he'd made with him. Instead he chose to open himself, show Tony it was okay to share. "Well, Steve is good at getting under your skin when he's riled up, but he's not deaf. He's just stubborn as hell and it got him in more trouble than you'll ever know. There was this one time we almost got caught going to a queer bar because he got in a fight with some homophobes who managed to get in."

"Huh. I knew about him getting into fights, but I didn't know he was...?"

"Bi, I think. Although he never had as much sexual attraction as I did, so he could be, uh, what's the term again?"

"Asexual?"

"That, or in the spectrum at least. I'm pan, I’m into everybody."

"You're telling me this as you're barely wearing any clothing." That made Bucky laugh, a bit self-conscious. He knew he was attractive for the most part, but he had a love/hate relationship with his scars, but they were part of him; mended skin, muscles and bones stronger than before.

They found bananas and some medium sized green fruits that looked like dragon eggs. They smelled good and the flesh, sweet. Juice dripped from their fingers, slid down Tony's chin and neck, not that Bucky was staring.

"You probably know this already, but I'm bisexual, even though the media has tried its best since the 80s to make people think I only fucked a lot of women and not people of all genders."

"Doesn't have the same ring to it. The mass media was bad in the 40s, I stopped trusting it when I heard one of the channels was praising that shithead who is trying to become an orange."

Tony barked out a delighted laugh that startled some birds away. "I'm glad you don't," he said, still laughing. Bucky had a bashful smile, staring up when he felt eyes on him. A monkey was observing them from above, munching on a banana. He'd seen a few already, but they always kept their distance. This one was merely curious.

"Look at them," Tony awed. "Good thing we don't have any shiny... Well. That one they can't steal." Tony gestured at his arm.

"I'd like to see them try." Bucky waved at the small animal.

"And then monkeys will worship you when they realise you're the shiny thing." There was an hint of something in Tony's voice that coiled warmth under Bucky's breastbone.

They ventured for a few hours through the rainforest. They encountered different trees, flowers, fruits, animals, creaks, another lake, more trees and more colourful plants. They didn't see any human made artifacts of any sorts, no sign of buildings decayed over the years, no standing monument defying time as nature slowly took it back, no suspicious noise, nothing. Bucky even climbed up a tree to see around them and only saw more green around them.

Tony tried not to show it, but he was discouraged. The hope of getting help from people here was rapidly vanishing, leaving them numb as to what to do next.

"We can explore more in a few days, when we better prepare. We'll definitely need a basket to carry our stuff around, my pants are about to give up at any moment." His pockets were so full it was getting difficult to walk. The only positive side of his predicament was the chuckle Tony would let out from time to time as he stole glances down. His own jeans' pockets had way less available space than his combat pants-turned-shorts. In counterpart, Tony had vines crossing over his chest.

"I wouldn't mind— I mean, other ways of carrying stuff are a must need."

It was Bucky's time to laugh, his neck feeling warmer than it already was. 

"Besides," Tony continued, thinking rambling would make Bucky forget his first comment. Too bad he had an eidetic memory. "I really feel like having a nap right now, imagining being in an igloo is just not working anymore."

"An igloo?"

"Yeah, you know, imagining I'm in a cooler place than the moist butt crack of this planet."

"That's... a very vivid image."

Tony sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry. I'm tired and frustrated and I miss Pepper and Rhodey and coffee."

That was fair. Bucky missed Steve and Natasha and even Sam, to some extend. He missed his routine. "When we get back home, remind me to bake you a tiramisu, I remember this recipe I got from an italian woman, she used coffee so strong I felt like my heart would pop out of my chest."

Tony put a hand over his own heart with a wishful look. "When we get back."

Bucky stretched his arm, hesitated a second, and squeezed his shoulder. He didn't linger and Tony, well, he didn't pull away at the touch. They took another route on their way back, although the sightseeing wasn't that different. Bucky almost stepped on a snake once but Tony pulled him away before that happened. They heard unusual rustling in the leaves and discovered more curious monkeys following them from a distance. Tony insisted on opening a few bananas and leaving them on a rock as a peace offering.

"What are those?" Tony made a face and pointed at bright red masses of small balls in a shrub beside him, some of them opened to reveal pale flesh with a black seed sticking out and looking like an eye. The ensemble wasn't appealing. Bucky was intrigued. He plucked one, opened the shell and smelled it. Bitter and somehow familiar. Had he eaten this before and didn't remember? He took a bite of the seed, slowly munching with a frown.

"Well?"

"It tastes like something Wilson puts in his smoothies."

"Really?" Tony ate a seed too. "Oh! I know what it is. It's guarana." He ate another one, suddenly excited. "They're supposed to have more caffeine than coffee. I also have some in powder form at home."

Bucky watched him eat a dozen in a few minutes, then he stopped him. "You don't know how potent it is, and you haven't had any caffeine in a few days. We'll bring some back at camp."

"Fine. This place is definitely going on my map."

"What map?"

Tony tapped his temple. "The one in my head. Someone has to keep track of where the good stuff is."

Bucky snorted, not even surprised at this point.

The following days were less eventful. They decided not to venture for the time being and focus on improving their shelter. Bucky found out smoke kept the mosquitos away, so he installed fire sticks he would fuel with dry leaves to last the night. They started a garden, mostly filled with sweet potatoes for now but some aloe plants they'd transported from wherever they found them. The aloe indeed cleaned his hair. Bucky liked how soft it made it once it got used to it.

It took a few tries, but they found a way to make vine baskets that wouldn't give out at the first brusque movement. Bucky even turned one into a backpack, using his shoulder holster as the straps and braiding a hatch that could be tied to the body so they could close it. Tony made a mortar and pestle for the sole purpose of turning the guarana seeds into powder and have it as a tea in the mornings. He was awfully happy every time he was drinking it despite the odd taste. 

Tony chose to dismantle his watch to start working on a possible power source with the solar panel and use it with the suit to reactivate his AI’s radio. The rest of the suit would be useless but so far there had been no need for it.

It began to rain on the ninth day. They only felt raindrops on them near the lake where the trees were sparser, but they didn’t get any on them while they were in the forest, the foliage blocking most of it. They didn't get nervous about it until the next day at night, when instead of lessening, it got worse.

"The lake's water level is getting pretty high, it's going to overflow through the night if it continues," Tony sighed, already mourning the oven and water filter system he'd worked on that couldn't be moved. The few items of furniture they'd built, two chairs and a stand for Tony's suit, could be moved if needed be.

"We didn't think this through when we chose this spot, not like we could think everything through, but hey," Bucky bumped his shoulder with Tony's, because they were casually touching each other now, "we've done this once, we can do it again."

Tony huffed. "I know. With improvements."

"You'll make the oven in concrete too?" Just a day ago, Tony had found the recipe for it using wood ash and mud and remade another water filter, requesting Bucky’s help to build two small towers. Bucky hadn't understood any of it but trusted him, and now they had plenty of potable water. 

"Maybe, if it makes you bake bread in that mysterious way of yours." Just as Tony had experienced with their surroundings' materials, Bucky had started trying out all sorts of recipes to diversify their meals. He had been cooking potatoes a different way every day and still had more ideas. He'd been on the search for some spices, and so far he'd found ginger, peppers and agave plants. Edible food was just everywhere, so it was just a matter of time before Bucky found more.

"Well, I could try something with the chickpeas we found and bananas. I could make pancakes."

"Yes, please."

The wind picked up soon after dark. They stayed close to the oven, the mud walls protecting the fire. Tony ended up nodding off on Bucky's shoulder, so Bucky brought him to the bed, tucking him against his chest when he started shivering. The temperature had significantly dropped and for once Bucky wished they had a blanket to shield them from the wind. He hugged Tony closer and kept his back to the worst of it. Recently they had started to lean into each other as they slept and would wake up more or less glued together by a layer of sweat, so this wasn't so different, only... Tony seemed very small against him. Bucky knew he was far from defenseless with his cleverness, and yet the urge to keep him safe remained.

He couldn't remember when that feeling had started, maybe from that day they met again at the compound and he'd seemed so heartbroken under those tinted glasses and ruggish attitude. Bucky had been trained to read people, he'd seen the fidgeting and the sweaty palms and the forced smile, the casual dismiss just so he could retreat and recuperate on his own. 

Maybe that was why he let go of the edge. A bit stupid, but Bucky would do it again if given a second chance.

He slept a few hours, through the trees worryingly creaking and the wind howling, and woke up a few times to their shelter’s ceiling dangerously tilting. They’d reinforced it with the hope it’d last through the storm.

It didn’t. Tony woke him up with a yelp right as they were thrown to the ground along with their broken bed. The whole thing had come crashing down, and Bucky quickly realised why.

The wind had turned violent, the trees bending and breaking and plants yanked out of the ground from the sheer force. Bucky eased Tony off him and pulled them upright, the heavy rain pelting down on them like small pebbles, Bucky pushed back his hair plastered to his face to assess the situation. The wind, the rain, the hot temperature... how had he not realised it sooner? They were in the middle of a hurricane. 

"Tony, we gotta get to safety." He could barely open his mouth without receiving a mouthful of water. 

"Where? There's nowhere safe." Tony yelled over the wind. Their feet were already in half a meter of water. "Fuck, the suit," he realised.

Bucky followed him to the side of the lake, which had reached above normal level and was flooding their camp. Tony frantically put every part he'd disassembled into a large leaf and tied it to put it into the suit before manually closing it with Bucky's help. That gave him an idea, and he went to search whatever food he could find, not minding that it was soaked, and packed it into the backpack. There was no way of knowing how long the storm would last and Bucky’s priority, along with a roof, was food and water. 

"What if we go higher?" Tony suggested.

"It's not just the water, it's the wind. Something could fall on us. Is your suit waterproof?"

"Of course.

"Good. It'll be best kept down the lake. Oh! Tones, the cave." He gripped his shoulder, wondering why he hadn't thought of that until now.

"How far is it?" Tony asked, following his trail of thoughts. Bucky swore.

"Too far for you. We need more oxygen..."

"A bowl!" He retrieved one that was floating near them. "Not the best, but it'll keep some air reserve."

It would also slow them down, but no matter, he wouldn’t see Tony drown today. Bucky nodded, picked up his suit and padded to the lake, using the suit's weight to sink down. Down here was calmer, the current stalling a few meters down. Bucky settled the suit where it wouldn't be disturbed by too many fishes and other inhabitants, then swam back out. Tony was holding onto a tree, clutching the bowl to his chest. He looked small, his wet clothes stuck to him like a second skin and hair falling in his eye. Bucky hurried to him and used his body to shield him from the worst of the wind as he guided him back to the lake. 

"Ready?"

"No. I don't like water," Tony admitted, his eyes hollow and lips pale. 

"It'll be okay, I'm here. I won't let you drown."

Tony gripped his human hand, squeezing hard once, and nodded. "I know."

He took a deep breath and went in, making sure to keep the bowl upside down to conserve the air. Swimming was more difficult that way, but Bucky didn't mind. He made sure to remain close, not crowding him but letting him know he was here. They were just entering the cave system when Tony bucked and let go of the bowl in surprise. The sea snake slid along his leg and disappeared into the darkness. 

Tony tried to get the bowl back, but it turned around and the air escaped to the surface. Bucky focused on keeping Tony calm, but he could see it wasn't going well for him as he started thrashing around, the feeble safety he had now gone. He probably swallowed some water and was now panicking.

Bucky curled his arms around him, propulsing them both forward. Tony latched his legs and arms around him, his hands holding on to the straps of the backpack over his shoulders. It freed Bucky's arms and legs and he started swimming as fast as he could. Tony mouthed his neck, trying not to swallow more water, but Bucky could feel his chest struggling, his lungs fighting against the pressure. He was going to drown.

Bucky stopped swimming, turned his chin to him and kissed him. Tony tensed for a moment before he relaxed when he realised what Bucky was trying to do. He opened his mouth. Bucky pushed air into it, as much as he could. Tony buried his fingers in his hair as his tongue caressed his bottom lip, once, before letting go. His eyes were red-rimmed from the water, but he wasn't panicking anymore. Bucky redoubled his efforts to reach the dry cave.

They pulled themselves out of the water, panting and gasping. Tony hiccupped and vomited water, grimacing as he wiped his mouth. 

"Well, that sucked," he said once he stopped coughing and his heartbeat returned to normal. Bucky, taking most of the space with the way he was spread on the floor, could only grunt. That had taken out more of him that he anticipated. Now that he was coming down from the adrenaline jolt of being awaken in the middle of a storm, he felt exhausted, his limbs heavy and loose. He straightened up to remove his backpack and propped it against the wall near him before setting back down again.

"So now we wait for the storm to calm down and discover how much of what we built have been destroyed," Tony said.

"Nothing we can't redo. What matters is we're safe."

Tony sat down on the other side and leaned against the wall, within reach. "Thank you, for saving me. I feel like this is becoming a habit." Bucky opened an eye to look at him.

"I still don't know how to make that water filter, I can't let you die."

Tony hummed. "See, I don't think that's the case. First because I've seen you pick up on things really fast, second because I think you've entitled yourself into protecting me. What is it? The guilt, the fear of being alone?"

Bucky sighed and sat up properly, and if he leaned into his side more than the usual, Tony didn’t object. He wasn't ready for this conversation, but he doubted he ever would be. He hated sharing his emotions, let alone to someone he'd come to respect and then some. "Mostly the guilt." He gave Tony a lingering look. "At first. I felt guilty over how you seemed to distance yourself from your team because I was now part of it, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't force you to like me, so I decided that at least I would keep you safe, even from yourself."

Tony was playing with the rim of his shirt, analysing his words. "It wasn't because of you, never about you. But this isn't about me right now, it's about you. You said _at first_ , so what about now?"

It felt like each word was pulled out of his mouth with a pincer, forming a confession he hoped was coherent. "I've come to like you, Stark, as insufferable as you can be at times. I got to know you under your, um, iron armour, and I appreciate what I've seen. I like you, is it so hard to believe? Don't laugh at me, that's mean." He bumped into his shoulder when Tony kept chuckling into his hand. 

"I'm not making fun of you. I'm laughing because we're both complete idiots."

He rested his hand on Bucky’s thigh and planted a soft kiss at the corner of his lips, smiling before returning to his seat. "Why don't you take a nap, I'll keep watch."

Bucky blinked, lost as to what just happened and his heart not over calming down, then decided a nap was a great idea.

He couldn't hear the turmoil over their head, the cave muting every sound except for Tony's breathing and strong heartbeat. He rested his head on his shoulder and fell asleep, feeling safe.

He woke up later with Tony embracing him, his fingers skimming over his human arm. "Hey there, sleepy head," he murmured against his forehead, kissing it.

Bucky cleared his throat, breathed him in. He smelled inviting. "Did I sleep for long?" 

"About an hour. You should eat."

"Mm." Bucky slowly detangled from him, wishing he had an excuse to remain like this. He stayed beside him, thighs pressed together, as he ate the few fruits they had. When his mind wasn't sluggish from his nap anymore, he thought of what they ought to do now. There was no way they would take the same way back, Bucky wasn't risking him almost drowning again. He'd find another route instead, make one if he had to. He shared his plan to Tony, who nodded.

"I put my watch in the suit, I could always reassemble if you need it."

"You would trust me with it?" Bucky asked, surprised and honoured to be frank. He never would've expected it.

Tony shrugged, trying to be casual about it, but the way his eyes shifted gave him away. "I doubt you'd use it against me."

Bucky grinned, warmth coiling under his breast. "No, I wouldn't."

"Also I installed a defense mechanism that it can't be fired at me."

"That's... so less romantic."

Tony turned to him, tilting his head. "So that's what we are then?"

"What, romantics?"

"No. I mean, yes. But also... we're a we now." Bucky took pity on him and loosely wrapped his arm around his shoulder.

"I'd like that. Quite strange that we're talking about this here, but once we're out of here, we'll have a lot to do."

"You're right." Tony turned and straddled his hips, looking down at him. His weight felt right in his lap. Bucky slid his hands down his thighs and up again to settle on his waist. "So let's stay here longer, just to make sure, you know, that the hurricane is completely over."

Bucky didn't feel particularly attractive right now, with his hair drying in matted strands and his skin peeling from yet another sunburn, but the way Tony was looking at him made him feel like he was to be cherished, clever fingers sliding over his stubbled cheeks to tip his head and make it easier to meet the gentle press of chapped lips. 

Their kiss was slow at first, until Bucky sighed and gripped him tighter, tired of keeping his feelings buried. He opened his mouth and sucked on his top lip, grinning at the shiver he felt running through Tony. His moans were sweeter than the fruits he could still taste on his tongue. Tony descended his hands on his neck to his shoulders, gripped his biceps, barely allowing himself a moment to breathe between kisses. Not that Bucky was any better, hugging him tightly to his chest.

They heavily made out for a while, lost in their own bubble. Bucky's lips were throbbing once they let go of each other, Tony's just as deliciously puffy and red. They grinned at each other like idiots.

Bucky found another exit in the opposite direction of their camp. There was numerous large stalagmites framed by corals they made sure to stay away from on their way out of the water. They emerged in another cave, luckily inhabited by nothing other than moss and bats. That’s what they imagined it was, at least, as they were in pitch black.

"I hate this," Tony repeated again, his hand clammy and cold in Bucky's. With the other, he was following the wall, shivering at every odd texture. 

"I can feel wind, we must be close to an opening."

"Or a dead end, literally and figuratively. Ugh, something crawled on me."

It wasn't a dead end. They hurried forward as light began to filter in the cave. They both weren't fans of the dark. They squeezed through a small opening between two large rocks, Bucky's larger metal arm making an uncomfortable screeching noise, but then they were out and sighing with relief. He looked back and there was no way he would've noticed the opening if he didn't already know it was there. Many secrets were hidden by nature.

The ground was soft and muddy with lingering raindrops falling from the trees, some of them laying pitifully on their side, broken, but most of them still standing. With such dense vegetation, it barely looked like an hurricane had passed through, other than more rotting fruits on the grass.

Tony guided them back to their camp, keeping their hopes low. As they should. Barely anything remained. Most of the gathered resources and crafted items from their few days here was either gone or destroyed. The water filter had crumbled on itself, a huge chunk of it broken and the materials for filtration spilled everywhere.

Bucky found a basket stuck in a tree with one of his knives, but he didn't find any other, which was disappointing. He liked his collection. His reminding one was a Morakniv Garberg, fairly versatile, but he didn't like the handle so he tended not to use it as much. Ah, well, it was better than no knife at all. The basket contained two bowls and a filled water canister, at least.

"Let's find a spot on high ground," Tony suggested, mourning the loss of his guarana powder he'd painstakingly made. He had found his makeshift axe and tied it to his pants. "We'll make our next place better, and I'll finish repairing the radio."

Bucky kissed his temple, returning with his suit. "I have no doubt about that."

Without that many daylight hours left, they started their journey uphill. They had to fight both the gravity and the many branches on their way, so it was a slow process, with the suit on Bucky's back. They collected their fair amount of scratches, which was more worrying for Tony than for Bucky even though he didn't complain. He didn't protest to any _feel better_ kisses, however. 

In between swearings about the mosquitoes getting in their face, they started thinking about the first thing they’d do once home.

"Definitively a shower, or a bubble bath with the hottest water I can withstand," Bucky immediately said, imagining it. Maybe he'd ask Tony to join him. "How about you?"

"Talk to Pepper and Rhodey. Drink a lot of coffee. And then... maybe try and be a better teammate." He almost stumbled on a root but caught himself just in time, grunting in annoyance. "I've been thinking, I didn’t give it a chance to work. There's no point in lingering in grudge, I'd rather spend my energy elsewhere, especially with all the press conferences and SI meetings I already know Pepper will throw at me."

"You forget the many Avengers briefings we'll have," Bucky added, feeling much lighter despite the humid heat clinging to his everything.

Tony took his hand. "I said it before, but my attitude wasn't about you. Well, maybe a bit, but out of envy and jealousy rather than true dislike. My problem isn’t with you. I was too stubborn to have a real conversation with the concerned ones, and that’s my fault."

"Still, I killed your parents. I don’t expect you to forgive me."

"I can’t say that it was easy, but I did. Especially when I started diving through every available file on the Winter Soldier and realised how shitty everything must've been for you for the last seventy years. Forced to obey the whims of your handlers or dismissed in ice. I’m glad you get to live freely now."

Flustered beyond words, Bucky blinked away the sudden moisture in his eyes. Not many people defended him. It was good to hear this coming from Tony. He cleared his throat after a moment, pulling him closer with the pretense of avoiding another branch. "Thank you."

"Of course." Tony smiled at him, his expressive brown eyes showing golden hues in the afternoon sun.

In the middle of the forest, they found a clearing close to a stream, the wild grass reaching them at mid-thigh. They had to climb quite steadily for a while to reach it, so they assumed they were quite higher than sea level. 

Bucky set down the iron suit in the middle of the clearing and they went to the stream to refresh, washing their face and arms and neck. Tony watched with attention when Bucky removed his sleeveless shirt to soak it as well. He was as muscular as before, if not more from the constant tree climbing and manual work. He knew how he looked on a good day and. He might've chosen to show off for Tony by not putting back on his shirt, stretching while waiting for him to finish. 

He drew in a breath between his teeth at the unexpected hand dripping with water on his stomach. 

"This isn't helping me cooling off right now," Tony breathed, peering up at him from under his lashes. He started to slowly drag his index down. His touch, as light as it was, was burning him from the inside. "I'd love to explore this further... but we have a lot of work to do before..."

"Before what?" Bucky waited, barely containing himself. His metal arm's wrist plates whirred with impatience.

"Before I can get my hands all over you and suck you off, have your cock in me or my cock in you, whichever, I'm not picky. Dry humping is also an option, although I have to admit nothing on me is dry at the moment."

Bucky pulled Tony to his feet before he could continue babbling, kissing him hard. "Less talking, more work, and then we can fuck each other silly all night long."

That was all the pep talk Tony needed. He made a square perimeter, prepared it and asked Bucky to help him turn the dirt around. Once that was done, they added water and mixed it in to create a mud floor. Bucky explored the area for food while Tony sculpted a mold for mud bricks, then they started crafting them. The project extended over a few days, along taking care their basic needs and making the mortar to set the bricks together, but in the end a small house stood in the middle of the clearing, with a wooden swinging door and the ceiling thickly layered with grass. The mud insulated the small room, making it cooler and more comfortable to sleep at night. 

Their made their bed in bamboo because it was their best option, and the material had more give than the ground. Tony certainly didn’t mind it, as he preferred to spread on top of Bucky at night. Who knew he was such a cuddler, always finding a way to slot himself against Bucky so they had the most skin contact, face tucked either in the crook of his neck or in his pectoral. He'd sleep like that until morning. At first Bucky wouldn’t dare to take deep breaths as to not disturb him, but he quickly learnt Tony was a deep sleeper. Being shifted around wouldn’t even wake him up.

For all his gesturing and rambling when he was awake, he would fall asleep and not move throughout the night. Bucky liked to believe it was because he was feeling safe in Bucky's arms, his anxiety leaving him for the time being, but the truth was probably more akin to their constant hard work, the evening passing by in the blink of an eye as they were exhausted. It was for the best, really, with the humidity reaching uncomfortable levels. 

They put the water filter a little further away from the house, and then Tony decided he'd move the stream so it would run through the clearing as well. Because it was this easy, apparently.

"The first plumbing system was made with wood, it can't be that difficult."

Not difficult when Tony Stark was inventing it, but time consuming. Tony made calculations and told him where to install the wooden beams. The angle of those combined with the pressure of the stream created a small fork leading directly into the water filter.

Bucky found some more aloe plants and agave plants, which were very similar in appearance, and transplanted them closer to the camp, but he didn’t start another garden. He figured there was enough fruits and plants around them to last them for a long time. 

He started making nectar out of the agave and oil from coconuts. The first results weren't bad and improved over time as he figured out new ways to do it. He wasn’t sure why he was making so much, as they could be gone at any time, but maybe someone else could enjoy them if not the both of them. Fuck, he hated that constant worry stirring in his belly.

"What are you brooding about?" Apparently it must've shown on his face. Tony was munching on red berries growing nearby and resting on a bench he'd just finished building, his chest still heaving from exertion and glistening with sweat. His shirt had been discarded long ago, his jeans now shorts exposing a lot more skin. The suit was sitting beside the house, on a stand of its own, like a beacon in the sun. Tony had put an arm up in a Vulcan salute.

It turned out it was difficult for his dark thoughts to continue at such sight. The longer he stared, the bigger was Tony's grin. Oh, he knew what he was doing. 

"How are you doing with modifying the communicator?" He asked him. 

"I'm almost there, darling. I just need to figure out a few things and then I can activate a signal."

"That's... good to know." Bucky sighed, brushing back his hair in a frustrated motion.

"Come here, let me fix that for you."

First Tony washed his hands before having him sit between his thighs on the bench, reassuring him it'd support both of their weight because of calculations he babbled on about that Bucky only half listened to, instead enjoying his touch.

Tony gently started to gather his hair, his blunt nails scratching and massaging his scalp. That, along with the fresh breeze over his damp neck, felt wonderful. He relaxed in Tony's hands, not used to being pampered and thus loving every moment of it. He started relaxing, his shoulders dropping and leaning more into Tony’s legs.

"I still think making a statue of myself in marble," Tony randomly piped in, using that soft tone of his that melted Bucky from the inside. "Or of us. Just imagine it, you and I standing in the middle of this clearing, looking forward like we know what we're doing."

Bucky laughed. "Is this meant to reassure me? We're trying to do the best we can do with what we have."

"True. So let's make statues of ourselves."

"Sure."

Tony peered down at him, surprised. "Wait, what? Usually when I suggest stupid ideas, people try to convince me otherwise."

Bucky shrugged, rubbing his head into Tony’s hands. "We won't make them real size. I doubt you'd get my good side correctly anyway."

"Mmph." Tony put up his hair and tied it with a piece of rope. "All your sides are good sides."

Tony spread his material on the bench and continued working while Bucky made a table using the same method from the previous one. It was a good way to keep food away from bugs too, which they had a few too many surprises about. 

They discovered a jackfruit tree the day before, and Bucky set on preparing one to eat. 

"There, I think this should work. Nah, scratch that, it's working," came Tony's triumphant voice later, once the fruit meat was grilling over their makeshift stove. "The sun is setting so it won't have gathered enough energy to last through the night, but it will emit a signal as long as it's on." 

Although it didn't look anything like a radio or a communicator, Bucky was confident it was working if the man said so. 

"Too bad it doesn't cast music, I would've enjoyed some."

"Why, you don't like the sounds of nature?" Tony grinned, teasing. Sure, the chirping and barks of the wildlife with the leaves rustling in the wind had been enjoyable at first and cut through the repetitive days, but at this point Bucky would’ve preferred to watch _Gone With the Wind_ than hear one more time the monkeys chatter angrily at them from the trees.

"Let's just say I'm never camping ever again in my life."

Tony laughed and sat beside him to eat, bringing a water jug to fill their cups. Once they could use the table, it would appear almost domestic. Not that Bucky could imagine this forced life as domestic… right? Bucky always believed a day without having to deal with Hydra was a good day, and having Tony as sole company could be difficult at times. For all his geniusness the man could be an insufferable child, but the perks were worth the cons, and then some. 

The return to reality would only be worst. Bucky didn't want to put his hopes up. What if their relationship here was nothing but physical, for them to find comfort in each other's arms? Would it be the same, back home? 

"Tony, do you think... what will be our relationship, if we go back?"

"Once we’re back home, you mean?" Tony corrected him, lightly kicking him in the shin. "Whatever we want it to be. I’m the futurist here, I think we can make this works, no matter where we are."

“Good. I think so too,” Bucky smiled, reassured. “So long as we continue to share and communicate.”

"Exactly… Hey, we built a house," Tony said, changing the topic. He laughed. "I just realised what I just said. I built armours worth multi-million dollars, and yet, building a mud house feels so much more tangible."

"Well, you still have mud under your nails. I know I do."

"True." Tony pressed their knees together. "I still remember what you said before, in the cave. Something about fucking me silly once we made a new camp?" Tony pressed a kiss under his ear, nuzzling the sensitive spot there. "Is now a good time to fulfill that promise?"

Bucky turned to him and looped an arm around his waist to kiss him, humming at the taste of the sweet berries lingering on him.

"Let's go," he growled and picked him up swiftly, his other arm secured under his ass. He couldn't wait to feel that pert butt against his skin. He pushed the wooden door aside and put Tony down on their cot, kissing any skin he could reach. Tony wouldn’t let go of him so he fall on him with a puff of laughter hidden in his shoulder. He put his weight on his knees, not willing to crush Tony under him - unless he asked for it.

Tony nibbled his jaw and his neck down to his scarred shoulder, soothing the spots with his tongue and making satisfying sounds at the back of his throat. They briefly stopped to get naked, and once they did, Bucky grabbed the jar containing the coconut oil. Tony chuckled at that.

"I knew you weren't only making this for cooking."

"I can get some aloe if you prefer."

"Nope. No. This is fine. Completely fine. More importantly, you right here, looking like this." Tony straightened to get his hands down his arms, then his hips, his thumbs stroking the sensitive skin there. His mouth descended over his chest, paying particular attention to his pectorals which he seemed very affectionate of, then made Bucky lean on his knees as his kisses continued down to his stomach. Bucky was breathing hard, could only watch him with wide eyes and his hands clutching his shoulders, muscles tight from anticipation.

Tony wrapped his hand on his cock at last, firm and so, so warm. Bucky had been half-hard since they entered the house and a few strokes brought him hard so quickly he felt lightheaded for a second. Tony hummed with a wicked look as he started lapping the head, obviously enjoying himself. He was spread before him, his round butt perking up like an invitation. Bucky splayed his hand all over it, brushing his fingers in the cleft, before grabbing a handful and squeezing. Tony jerked back with a gasped curse, his mouth red and puffy. 

"I won't be able to concentrate if you continue."

"That’s the spirit." Bucky urged him back up to pull on his short hair and expose his throat. He marked it with kisses and bites, not hard enough to break skin but enough to leave bruises. Yes, he couldn't wait to see Tony wear his marks for the days to come, and the thought made him growl in possessiveness. He eased him on his back, kneeling between his spread legs, and took a moment to appreciate the sight until Tony mumbled at him to hurry up, a delicious flush spreading over his cheeks and ears.

Bucky licked a path down his torso, breathing him in and relishing the feel of his soft skin, the coarse hairs gathering at his groin. He dripped some oil into his palm that he rubbed against his puckered hole. Tony put a foot on the bed and canted his hips to allow him more access. He was so gorgeous in that position, all that tan skin stretched taut over defined muscles, his hard cock curving on his belly.

"I'll start slow, baby." Bucky easily lifted Tony for a better angle, keeping him there. Tony's cock twitched as he let out a breathy groan, clearly turned on by the display of strength. Bucky had noticed it early on and had been well inclined to show off just for him. 

It was easy to press his index into him and watch it get swallowed by Tony's greedy hole. Bucky widened his stance and licked his lips, adding another finger only when Tony started whining in impatience. Bucky leaned to press wet kisses to the insides of his plump thighs, sucking bruises on his tender skin. His own cock was throbbing and dripping with the need to be in him.

"Fuck, I'm ready. Buck, come on." Tony gripped his hair, clumsily petting him, his stomach quivering in anticipation. He kissed Bucky when he settled against him and leaned on a forearm beside his head. They’d both started sweating and their skin slid against one another. 

Tony wrapped his legs around him and moaned as Bucky's slowly cock sank in him, until he was pressed flush against his ass. 

"Gimme a minute, big boy," Tony grunted, biting his lip with blown pupils, his fingernails digging in his shoulders. Bucky kissed the scar on the middle of his chest as he patiently waited, and Tony suddenly threw his head to the side, blocking his face.

"Tony? Am I hurting you?" Bucky worried, immediately starting to redraw, but Tony tightened his legs around him to keep him there, still not looking at him. His throat bobbed when he swallowed.

"Quite the opposite, darling." His breath stuttered, hand smoothing over the scars littering Bucky's shoulder, which made him hum in understanding. He was aware of how scars could make people uncomfortable with their own body. Some days he hated looking at his own. He thought Tony's scars were beautiful, a proof of his history, and he bent again to gently pepper his skin with kisses as he patiently waited.

"It's alright," he breathed in his ear, pecking the lobe, and Tony shuddered, his pulse jumping. He turned back towards him, long lashes wet and clumped together, and kissed him fiercely. "Move," he said against his mouth before his tongue explored it, and Bucky did. 

As soon as he started moving, he lost himself in the sensations of Tony's body, thrusting as deep as he could; his body taking him in, his aroused smell, his moans, his expressive eyes wandering from his face to where they were connected, watching himself be fucked. He was holding onto Bucky's arm beside his head, arching his back and breathy moans escaping him.

"So good, darling, so good to me." 

"Yeah?" Bucky shifted, lazily dragging his cock in and out until Tony gave out a telltale cry that he hit his prostate, and he kept that angle, grabbing one of his legs to put it over his shoulder. "How's that?" His balls slapped loudly as his pace increased, the loud wet noises driving him closer to the edge. He wanted Tony to cum first, so he wrapped his hand around Tony's leaking cock, pumping it fast and twisting his wrist around the fat head, smearing his precum down the shaft. 

"Amazing," Tony opened his mouth, wanting to add something else, but only breathless cries fell out instead. His body started tensing up, his hole clenching hard around him, trying to keep him in. A few more thrusts and he was cumming hard, his muscles spasming as his dick spurted all over Bucky's hand. He let out a deep satisfied hum, his face softened to a post-orgasmic glow. He dipped his fingers in his own mess to lick them off with a blissful look.

"Your turn now, darling. Will you mess me up some more?" And how could Bucky deny him, when asked so nicely? He slid out and fisted his cock, stroked himself fast, his vision nothing but Tony spread under him, cheeks flushed and eyes half-lidded, pink tongue darting from kiss-bruised lips. 

"Fuck," Bucky moaned and painted his chest with his cum, shaking from the intense pleasure. 

His legs were ready to give out, so he laid beside Tony, stretching and putting an arm behind his head, his whole body vibrating with contentment. His cock valiantly stirred at the sight of Tony, a beautiful mess. As much as he liked the view, it was never fun to peel off dried cum, so he pressed a kiss on Tony's shoulder, beckoning him outside to clean themselves up. Their shower was very rudimentary but functionary, thanks to Tony's clever hands, a water-filled canister sitting on bamboo poles over their head that could be opened or closed with a simple mechanism. 

Bucky slid the panel open, sighing at the fresh water cascading over them. Tony carded his fingers in Bucky's hair, making sure it was properly wet and smoothing out some of the knots. Bucky had carved a wide-toothed comb from wood, but there was only so much it could do and he really enjoyed having Tony take care of it for him. Bucky meanwhile washed off the evidence of their lovemaking from their front, then closed the panel and bent so Tony could apply aloe gel through his hair. Meanwhile he started planting kisses over his shoulder and up his neck, his arm going around his waist. 

"You're making this very difficult," Tony whined. He rubbed himself against him, his cock firmer by the second. Bucky chuckled and slipped his hand to his ass that he kneaded before pressing two metal fingers in his hole, still loose and slicked with oil.

"Am I?" He started a slow rhythm in and out, putting his thigh between Tony's legs. Tony pushed himself on his tiptoes and moaned in his ear as his cock and balls dragged over him. He started to shamelessly rub himself on his thigh, even though it wasn't the most ideal with only water as lube. Bucky turned them so he could reach the aloe gel and smeared it over Tony's dick, almost hitting one of the poles in the process. 

"It's not large enough for this," Tony started protesting, then gasped when Bucky hoisted his leg around his waist, keeping his free hand under his butt to support him. This way, his fingers hit his prostate when he curled them.

"Want me to stop?" Tony was rock hard and continued to slide himself back and forth against Bucky's stomach, letting out shaky moans. He'd stopped pretending to wash Bucky's hair and instead was holding onto his back for dear life, blunt nails digging in his skin.

"Don't you dare. This feels so good." He lightly bit his shoulder, groaning some more. Bucky's own cock filled up quickly as he let Tony chase his own pleasure and fuck himself on his fingers. They shared a filthy kiss, using a lot of tongue and not much coordination. A string of saliva followed when they parted and landed on Tony's chin. Bucky licked it off, humming softly. Tony's mouth went slack before he orgasmed, his body shuddering. 

"That's it, doll. You're so handsome with pleasure all over your face." Bucky gently eased down his leg. He opened the water valve to wash them off again and rinse his hair. Tony remained loose and pliant in his arms, softly mouthing his pectorals, any available skin. He sucked his nipples that quickly hardened and sent hot desire down his spine.

It felt wonderful when he wrapped both his hands around his cock and gave him the best handjob, knowing all the tricks to stretch his orgasm to a mind-numbing experience. Afterwards they ate, famished, and Bucky started to gather enough clay for a small statue. Tony laughing to tears when he saw him. 

"A small iron man. We're trying for less than life size, after all."

"How dare," Tony swatted at him, still grinning. 

It’d became so easy with him, to simply be. To live in comfortable silence, or have deep conversations for hours on end around the fire, having long excursions with the pretense to collect food and spices when they couldn't stay put any longer. They found some more guarana by accident, which put Tony on a happier mood. It felt like, with the beacon on, that it was just a waiting game now, despite neither of them knowing if it could or would signal anyone, let alone their team. Bucky had faith in them, however. They were already working hard to find them, or at least Tony if not him. 

He finished the statue with Tony's unsolicited input, which ended in an abstract version of the suit. They installed it against the house, a permanent mark to their residence. It was made in ceramic and was technically sturdier than the house, so chances were some civilisation, if such thing could come to stumble upon their camp one day, might discover the statue and view the suit as some deity. Better not to tell Tony that, however. Bucky was already worshipping him for all his worth.

To thank him for the art, Tony rode him hard on the bench in the middle of their camp, skin glistening with sweat as he grinded on him. He worked him up for a long time, rendering Bucky a begging mess. He looked beautiful on top of him, his hands leaning onto his chest and his eyes almost black with pleasure.

[ ](https://mairithetree.tumblr.com/)

He'd already came, his spent smeared into Bucky's chest and neck like a marking, but Bucky was so hot it hadn't dried yet. The look of pure satisfaction drove him to the edge and he spilled inside him, his orgasm stretching and stretching as Tony milked him dry with his ass.

"Fuck," he drawled out afterwards, completely spent. Tony used a large leaf and a bit of water to wipe him off, grinning down at him.

"Did I overexert you, a super soldier?"

"You super did."

Tony giggled, flushed and pleased. Bucky couldn't have enough of him, he doubted he ever would. Once they started having sex, they couldn’t stop. They didn’t seem to be able not to touch each other constantly, platonically and otherwise. It proved having no human around them had its merits, as they fucked anywhere they wanted, anytime. Bucky explored Tony’s body and came to know it better than his own, how to wield it best so Tony became a shivering beauty of pleasure, giving himself enthusiastically to Bucky’s arms. 

As nice things were, they had to come to an end. It was the middle of the afternoon and Bucky and Tony were arranging some potatoes they planned on cooking in oil with some spices. Tony would stop to munch on berries he favoured, his kisses tasting sweet and tangy in turn. Bucky knew he had juice smeared over his cheeks but had made no effort to wipe it off. 

The air crackling with electricity alerted them and they jumped to their feet. A portal appeared in the middle of their camp. Thor walked out, then Natasha, Bruce, Clint and Steve. 

“Brothers!” Thor boomed, his echoing exclamation scaring some birds away. 

“Cozy place you got here. We thought you were being tortured or something,” Clint said, his hands already on the food.

Steve assessed the surroundings for threats in a quick swipe and strode to the duo. He threw his arms around Bucky, hugging him close and smelling of home. Then he did the same to Tony, to his utter surprise. He did return the embrace once he recovered, which made Bucky proud.

“I’m so glad you’re both okay,” he told them. His beard was unkempt, glazy eyes rimmed with red.

“He was worried sick, barely slept while we interrogated Doom,” Natasha said, hugging them in turn with a softness she rarely showed. “The worst that could happen is the both of you trying to kill each other.” She tapped one of the many love bites marking Tony’s neck. “I doubt that’s been the case.”

Tony smiled, squeezing her shoulders in an affectionate gesture. They’d known each other the longest among the Avengers. “At first. Then we came to a truce.”

“A truce?” She quirked an eyebrow as she smirked. “Good to know.”

The others came for their hugs, Thor engulfing Tony in his arms and making the other quack, to the delight of everyone.

Steve’s eyes traced Tony’s neck, then Bucky’s face. The red spots left from the berries where Tony had kissed him were a giveaway. Bucky was ready to send his best glare at him if he showed disagreement, but instead he hugged him again, his arms squeezing tightly. 

“I’m glad for you. To be fair, Sam predicted it.”

“Hey, I did too,” Clint added. 

“With my input,” Bruce said. “So, turns out Doom sent you very far in the future, where he was planning on building his new castle.”

“Good thing it wasn’t in a desert,” Clint said. 

Beside Bucky, Tony tensed up, and he leaned into him. “ _I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating and gets stuck_ in my arm, I still find some six months later. Almost as worst as glitter.”

Tony laughed, the tension easing off his shoulders. Natasha was watching him with a soft expression, and when Bucky met her gaze, she smiled at him in approval.

A bit further, Bruce was appraising the house and the water system, the oven and the furniture they’d accumulated. “Rainforests are rich in natural resources, and Doom knew it if he intended on starting his new kingdom in this timeline. Did you make concrete out of wood ash and mud?”

Him and Tony started talking together, using a vocabulary Bucky could vaguely decipher. He could see how Tony moved more energetically already, a new bounce to his steps. He’d missed them, and so had Bucky. 

“Let’s go back, I want to hit Doom some more,” Thor claimed, which prompted everyone to move.

They collected the suit, the radio and some of the supplies they had made over time such as the coconut oil, the agave nectar and Tony’s guarana powder, the pottery they carefully moulded that allowed them to survive for this long. They hadn’t chosen to be here, but Bucky wanted souvenirs. Falling with Tony through that portal had been all but a mistake. How could he regret it when Tony looked at him like that?

The portal appeared at the touch of the holoscreen over Steve’s wrist, just bright and dizzying as the first time. 

“If it’s the same for you, I’d rather have you both go first,” he gestured at them, putting his hands on his hips. Tony clicked his tongue.

“Fine. Come on, darling.”

As they stepped closer, Tony took his hand. “Don’t let go,” he told him, and Bucky didn’t.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://cap-sweet-and-salty-sadness.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CaptainMarianna). I currently take commissions, you can find the info on both platforms.


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